Wednesday, September 2, 2015

September 2 On This Day in Australian History

1805 The Sydney Gazette reported that 200 warriors plundered the farm of James Wiltshire at Lane Cove and tied up the servants before they were ‘dispersed’ by gunfire.

1824 - Settlement founded by Oxley at Redcliffe.

1835 - J.H.Wedge warned that the new settlers are trespassing on land bought by Batman from the Aborigines.

1840 - Explorer John Eyre wasn't a happy chappy when he named Mt Hopeless in South Australia in despair at the seemingly never-ending salt lakes.

1852 - Eugene von Guerard, artist, noted in his diary for this date; "One hears quite often of diggers disappearing suddenly, and long afterwards their corpses are found at the bottom of shafts into which they had fallen and been drowned in the mud. Among my new neighbours are several Chinamen who are thriving as butchers. They are frequent customers at my store, but can’t speak a word of any language but their own, so all our dealings are done by sign."

1873 - Lily Poulett-Harris was dropped off by the stork; she was an Australian sportswoman and educationalist, notable for being the founder and captain of the first women's cricket team in Australia, the Oyster Cove Ladies' Cricket Club, in 1894.

1884 - The Main Western Railway Line (NSW) was opened from Nyngan - Nyngan Junction, and from Nyngan Junction - Byrock.

1887 - The railway line from Brighton Beach to Sandringham (Vic) opened.

1899 - Queensland held a referendum on the constitution for the first time.

1901 - The Brewarrna Railway Line (NSW) was opened from Jct (Byrock) - Brewarrina.

1904 - The first Australian Open golf tournament was held at the Australian Golf Club at Rosebery, Sydney.

1905 - The Hobart GPO was opened at 10 p.m., when the Inspector of Public Buildings ordered the barriers which held back a large crowd of people be removed. A race ensued to determine who should be the first person to post a letter at the new Hobart General Post Office.

1922 - Best poet, playwright, humourist and storyteller since Shakespeare, Henry Lawson fell off the twig. Lawson became the first person in NSW to be granted a State funeral as a 'distinguished citizen' rather than a politician. Although much of his writing was acclaimed, Lawson suffered from a lack of funds, depression and alcoholism. He spent time in Darlinghurst Gaol between 1905 and 1909 for drunkeness and non-payment of alimony.

1927 - Mr S A Hanscombe Headmaster of Liverpool Public School sent a memorandum to the Inspector of Schools at Penrith on the subject of the enrolment of a band of Gipsies at Liverpool School. In his memorandum Mr Hanscombe stated that they [the band of Gipsies] expect to camp at Liverpool, for two months, all claim to be Australian born. He reported that he admitted eight children, listing them by name and age, although noting that in some case they appeared to be older than the age stated.
He reported that they were all making efforts to master reading and writing. As he added, ‘I send this information so that you will be aware of the facts’.

1928 – St Mary's Cathedral opened in Sydney after 60 years of construction (you don't want to rush those gargoyles).

1939 - Prime Minister Robert Menzies broadcast a warning to the nation that the danger of war existed.

1957 – President Ngô Đình Diệm of South Vietnam became the first foreign head of state to make a state visit to Australia.

1968 - The Council for Aboriginal Affairs was established.

1972 - A Fundraising Party in aid of the CAMP Ink was held at 393 Darling Street, Balmain.

1983 - The CDC publish their first set of recommended precautions for health care workers and allied health professionals
designed to prevent the transmission of AIDS.

1984 - During a shoot out between rival gangs ( Bandidos and the Comancheros ) outside a bar in Sydney, Australia in what was called the "Milperra Massacre" 6 gang members were killed and a young innocent girl selling raffle tickets was caught in the crossfire and murdered, while 28 others were injured.

1984 - The Victorian Premier, John Cain (Jnr), opened the first stage of the Loy Yang Power Station near Traralgon in the Latrobe Valley.

1988 - The Australia Telescope Compact Array (ATCA), located at the Paul Wild Observatory near Narrabri, is a set of six 22-m diameter dishes ('antennas') for collecting radio waves from space and is the only telescope of its kind in the Southern Hemisphere. It was officially opened on this day by The Little Aussie Weeper himself, PM Bob Hawke.

1999 - The Archbishop of the Anglican Diocese of Brisbane, The Most Reverend Peter Hollingworth, launched a policy for Anglican schools across Queensland called “Partners in Indigenous Education”. The policy was launched at West Moreton Anglican College.

1999 - The State Government announced funding of $80,000 for a drug, tobacco and alcohol education campaign targeting young people in remote parts of Queensland and Indigenous communities. Health Minister, Wendy Edmond, announced the Government would commit $50,000 and sponsor the 1999 100% In Control Croc Eisteddfod Festival.

2000 - The Gwabegar Rail Line (NSW) was opened from Kandos - Rylstone, from Rylstone - Mudgee, and from Mudgee - Gulgong.

2003 - Victorian Governor John Landy launched Melbourne’s first Aboriginal Cultural Centre to celebrate the living culture of the Koorie people.

2007 - The first extension tests on the Glenelg Tram. Flexity 104 and H class 351 and 367 were used. 104 ran with no problems but 351 and 367 made contact with the median strip on North Terrace rounding the curve from King William Street.

2010 - PM Julia Gillard edged closer to retaining power when an independent lawmaker said he would support her center-left Labor Party to form Australia's first minority government in almost seven decades.